Fire-escape.



MIEmm AUG 15, 1905.

N0 v wm i.

J. MASTRAMH FIRE ESGAPE.

APPLIOATION 121mm MM 11, 1905.

2 SHEETS-"SHEET 1.

UNTTE ST TES PATENT OFFTO l lWE-ESOAWEH No. 797,46a.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 15, 1905.

Application filed May 11,1905. Serial No. 259,910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that '1, .l'oI-IAN SJASTRAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cripplecreek, in the county of Teller and State of U010- rado, have inventedcertain new and useful Tmprovements in Fire-Escapes; and l. do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in fire-escapes of that class which are built into a window-sill or the like.

The object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of devices of this character,and thereby render the same more durable and convenient in use.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrange ment of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

in the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a window-sill, showing my improved fire-escape applied thereto, the cover of the chamber or cavity in the window-sill in which the operating parts of the device are mounted being in its open position. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1, the cover being in its closed position. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the brake-lever secured in its elevated or operative position; and Fig. 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 1 a in Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes a window-sill, door-sill, or other portion of the wall of a building or similar structure upon which it is desired to mount the lire-escape. This sill 1 is formed with a chamber or cavity 2, which is adapted to be closed by a removable cover 3, preferably hinged, as shown at 1, to permit it to be swung to an open position and adapted to be seated when in its closed position upon a shoulder 5, surrounding the cavity 2, so as to lie flush with the upper surface of the window-sill.

Within the chamber of the cavity 2 is mounted in a suitable bearing provided upon the end walls of the same a winding-drum 6, to which is secured one end of a cable or other flexible connection 7. This cable is wound upon the drum 6 and has attached to its opposite end a belt 8, which is adapted to be passed around the body of a person who is lowered by the device. This belt or attaching device 8 may be of any desired form and construction; but 1 preferably construct it as shown and provide upon it a slide or keeper 9.

ln order to control and check the rotation of the winding-drum 6 as a person is lowered by means of the cable 7, I provide upon one end of said drum a friction-surface 10, about which is passed a friction brake-band 11. This brake-band has one of its ends secured, as at 12, to the sill and its other end secured, as at 13, to alever 14., which is pivotally mounted upon a pin. or stud 15, provided between one of the end walls of the chamber 2 and a cross-bar 16, disposed within the latter. The brakelever 1 1 is short and does not project outside of the chamber 2, so that the cover 3 may be swiing to its closed position when the device is not in use; but in order to operate said lever I provide it with a handle 17, which is pivotally connected to the lever, so that it may be swung downwardly with the chamber 2, as shown in Fig. 1, when the device is not in use. This pivotal connection between the handle and lever is effected by bifurcating the upper end of the lever to receive a reduced portion at the lower end of the handle and by passing a pivot-pin 18 through said parts, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. In order to hold. the handle 17 of the lever in its elevated or operative position, I provide a swinging latch-bar 19, which is pivoted at one of its ends, as shown at 20 in Fig. 41 of the drawings, so that its opposite end may be swung into a recess 21, formed in one of the side walls of the chamber 2. The free end of the pivoted latch 19 is retained in said recess 21 by a spring-keeper 22, which is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. In order to permit the friction-brake to be operated by a person who is lowered upon the cable 7, I provide a cord or other flexible op erating connection 23, which is passed through a suitable guide an upon the sill and has its upper end connected to the outer end of the lever-handle 17. The opposite end of said cord or connection 23 carries a weight 25, so that it will hang normally within convenient reach of a person attached to the free end of the cable 7.

In order to cause the cable 7 to be rewound upon the drum 6 after a person has been lowered by the device, so that it may be again used, I provide a coil-spring 26 in the chamber 2 and attach one of its ends to the sill 1, as shown at 27, and its other end to a shaft 28, which it surrounds. This shaft is journaled in bearings 29, provided upon one of the end walls of the chamber 2 and upon a cross-bar 30 within said chamber. Said shaft 28 has secured to it a gear 31, which meshes with a pinion 32, secured upon one end of the winding-drum 6. It will be seen that as the cable 7 is unwound the coil-spring will be wound up or tightened and that as soon as a person or load is removed from the cable said spring will unwind to cause the cable to be again wound upon the drum.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-escape, the combination with a window-sill or the like having a chamber or cavity and a cover for the latter, of a winding-drum mounted in said chamber, a friction-brake element for checking the rotation of said drum, a brake-lever for operating said element, and ahandle pivoted upon said lever to permit it to be folded within said chamber when the device is not in use.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination with a window-sill or the like having a chamber or cavity and a cover for the'latter, of a windingdrum mounted in said chamber, a frictionbrake element for checking the rotation of said drum, a brake-lever for operating said element, a handle pivoted upon said lever to permit it to be folded within said chamber when the device is not in use, and a latch for holding the handle of said lever in an operative position when the device is in use, substantially as described.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination with a window-sill or the like having a chamber or cavity and a cover for the latter, of a windingdrum within said chamber, a brake-surface upon said drum, a friction-band surrounding said brake-surface, a lever for operating said band, a handle pivoted upon said lever and adapted to be folded within said chamber, a swinging latch for holding said handle in an elevated or operative position and a springkeeper for said latch.

4:. In a fire-escape, the combination with a window-sill or the like having a chamber or cavity and a cover for the latter, of a windingdrum within said chamber, a brake-surface upon said drum, 2. friction-band surrounding said brake-surface, a lever for operating said band, a handle pivoted upon said lever and adapted to be folded within said chamber, a swinging latch for holding said handle in an elevated or operative position, a spring-keeper for said latch, a flexible operating connection attached to the handle of said lever, a cable wound upon said drum, and an attaching-belt upon the free end of said cable, substantially as described.

5. In a fire-escape, the combination with a window-sill or the like having a chamber or cavity and a cover for the latter, of a windingdrum within said chamber, a brake-surface upon said drum, a friction-band surrounding said brake-surface, a lever for operating said band, a handle pivoted upon said lever and adapted to be folded within said chamber, a

swinging latch for holding said handle in an elevated or operative position, a spring-keeper for said latch, a flexible operating connection attached to the handle of said lever, a cable wound upon said drum, an attached belt upon the free end of said cable, a spring-actuated shaft, a gear upon said shaft, and a pinion upon said winding-drum in mesh with said gear, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHAN SJ ASTRA M.

l/Vitnesses:

VICTOR SJASTRAM, CHAS. EAILHOW. 

